The Persistance of Memory
by Akatsuki Child
Summary: Annabeth gets in an accident and loses her memory. Can she connect the pieces together to solve the mystery of her past? The only person who will help her unveil this hurtful past is Percy Jackson, her ex-boyfriend. Percabeth. AU.
1. Prologue

**This is just the prologue, but I have a good feeling about this story. Just as a heads up, the next chapter probably won't be out for a while, depending on when I get it done. I'm guesstimating about a week, two weeks tops before chapter one. **

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own PJO!**

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"Someone get a medic over here! She needs help!"

"Move aside! I'm a doctor!"

"How is she? Will she be alright?"

"She'll be…alive."

"…but not okay…"

Silence.

"I…I don't know. More than likely not."

A sigh. "Well, that's better than nothing."

A nod. "Yes. Let's get her to the hospital now. And quickly."

--

"How is she?"

"She's fine, but…"

"…but? What?!"

"S-she's had a number of injuries, all of them easily healed, but uh…she's suffered some, er, head trauma."

A pair of eyes narrowed. "What does that mean exactly?"

A pair of feet shuffled. "She's suffering from…" A swallow. "…Amnesia."

The eyes that were narrowed closed in dismay. The hands came up and covered up the face as the body kneeled over itself.

"I'm…I'm sorry." A sincere apology. "We did everything we could." The feet carried its owner down the hall, away from the misery.

The hands came away from the face to reveal red-rimmed eyes. The body lifted itself up and went over to the window that held her. The red-rimmed eyes watched her sleeping form, her pale skin, golden locks, and dark lashes that caressed her cheeks. The legs of the body pulled its owner away from the window and the girl that held painful memories, down the hall, and out the door, away from the one thing the body's owner really cared about.

That girl.

But she wouldn't remember this body's owner, and rather than torture the mind with wishful thinking, the body tugged its owner away so its owner could heal, and so its owner's mind could try to relax, and so its owner's heart wouldn't feel so strangled.

Every part of the owner's body sagged in remorse and sorrow as they left the one thing that made them feel worthy, away from the girl who changed their owner's life…

…away from happiness.

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**Next chapter is Annabeth's POV with partial Percy POV. Review please and let me know if you like it! Flames will be used to burn embarrassing photos :D **

**Thanks for reading!**

**--Akatsuki Child**


	2. That Bright Light

**The Persistence of Memory**

**Chapter One**

**That Bright Light**

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**(Annabeth's POV)**

You know how in movies or books they say that there's always that bright light when you are on the brink of death? Well, that's not exactly true. It was more like one bright tunnel in a pit of darkness, however that light wasn't blinding unless you decided to go down that tunnel. From where I was standing, it actually wasn't all that bright.

I wanted so badly to go there (it was practically pulling me in), but something held me back. Something was keeping me from picking up my feet and moving towards the inviting warmth and light. I couldn't quite pin point what that thing was. It was on the tip of my tongue…

And then I started hearing this thumping noise, so loud and obnoxious it made me lose my balance and I began to fall. I opened my mouth to scream, but there was only silence as I fell farther and farther away from the light I so badly wanted.

--

Pain…a dull, throbbing pain. That's all I felt. I wasn't sure where I was at, what was going on…I wasn't even exactly sure who I was. I was trying to think of who I was…umm…well…I'm…

I felt my nose wrinkle in annoyance. I was so close to remembering, but somehow, like a brick wall, I was stopped, and I lost my train of thought.

I slowly opened my eyes and quickly shut them close again. Ugh, bright lights. And the _smell!_ It was so…so…_sterile._ The only sound in the room was a steady beep that seemed to be in sync with my heart.

I opened my eyes again, knowing that that bright light would be waiting.

_Bright light…_

Something in my mind fluttered, but it was gone before I could question it. I stared up at the bright florescent lights and the cream colored ceiling with little tiles. My eyes started to sting, and I remembered I had to blink.

That reminded me of the rest of my body. Where was it? Was it even there? I started to panic, but then my finger fluttered, as if it was reassuring me, telling me that yes, I still had a body. I sighed in relief. I focused then on moving my toes, my feet, my legs, my arms…I even flexed some of my muscles to see if I could still use them.

Then I heard a soft, ruffling noise, and I craned my head up to see who was there, but there was a sharp, searing pain in my head. I winced and brought my hand up to feel the back of my neck to find a scar there.

"Whoa, relax there," I heard a soothing voice. I obliged by laying my hand back down by my side and resting my head back. Instead, I merely turned it to the side a bit until an older man, probably around the age of forty, came into view. For some reason, he was wearing a lab coat.

The man smiled gently. "Glad to see you're awake."

I swallowed, the spit stinging against my dry throat. "What—" I stopped. Was that my voice? It sounded horrible. I licked my lips and started again. "What's going on?" I rasped.

"Here," The man just said, avoiding my gaze. He handed me a cup before slowly propping my bed up so I was sitting upright. I stared into the cup and felt my brow furrow.

"Water," The man said. "You need to drink fluids. You're body is dehydrated."

I didn't understand this guy. He was being so nice to me, but I didn't know who he was. Hell, I didn't even know who _I_ was. But the uncomfortable dryness in my throat told me to take a drink, and so I did.

At first, the cool sensation against my heated insides stung, but then it got better and I gulped the rest down in record timing.

The man seemed to like this. "Good," He nodded his head.

"Where am I?" I asked, my voice smoother.

The man stayed silent for a minute before answering. "You're in a hospital," He explained, still avoiding my gaze.

My brow furrowed again. "A…hospital?"

"A place you go when you get hurt badly so these nice people can help you get better."

That did sound familiar…

Suddenly, there was a searing hot pain and I was hit with a vision.

No, it was a memory.

"_Mommy!" I shouted. I was only five years old. She had got hit by a car earlier. I was with my dad in the hospital. A doctor came out and shook his head. _

"_I'm sorry," He said solemnly. _

_My dad started crying, so it must have been bad. I started crying, too._

I gasped. My mom…she was dead…

I felt something slide down my face, and I tentatively brought a finger up and wiped the liquid off my face. I stared at the clear fluid on my finger that slowly dripped off my finger and fell, disappearing into the blanket covering my lower body.

"Tears," I whispered.

"What was that?" I heard the man ask. Of course, he had been completely unaware of the whole exchange I just had with myself.

"You're a doctor," I said. It was a statement, not a question. I knew now that he was only here to help me, but the question was why did I need help? "Why am I in the hospital?"

The doctor now held an expression of sadness. He sighed. "You…got in an accident and you were injured badly. We took care of most of it, but…"

"But what?"

"You suffer from…amnesia."

I blinked. Amnesia…didn't that mean…?

The doctor shook his head, almost angrily. "You won't remember anything before the accident."

I swallowed hard and I began to shake, my lip trembling, my breath ragged. Nothing at all? I wouldn't remember _anything?_ But then what about that memory I just experienced? Was it part of my imagination?

"But I _do_ remember! I remember one thing, at least…" I cried, mumbling the last part.

The doctor looked shocked. "You do?" He asked, eyes wide, voice excited.

I nodded. "I had a…memory earlier. It was about my mom…she died when I was only five."

The man nodded. "I'm sorry. It's good that you remembered that, though. This means there's a possibility you might regain all of your memories back. But it's not a guarantee."

That enlightened me a bit. There was hope after all.

"You may not get all your memories back, but I'd say after having that memory, you have a good chance of remembering everything." The doctor said, moving towards the end of my bed. He took a board from it and started writing something down. "Things may trigger it, such as photos, memorabilia, something significant…it all just depends. This is good." He finished, mumbling the last part to himself with a nod of his head.

He smiled up at me. "We'll keep you here for a few more days to make sure you're okay, and then we'll send you home."

I nodded, and he started towards the door, but I stopped him.

"Uh, one more thing…" I spoke up.

He looked back at me. "Yeah?"

"What's my name?"

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**(Percy POV)**

There was no denying it. She was gone. Er, well, she was still _alive_, yes, that was always a good thing, but she wasn't _there_. She was gone, mentally speaking. She wasn't my Annabeth anymore. She wouldn't remember all the times we spent together, she wouldn't remember our love, she wouldn't remember anything!

But maybe that was for the best. She didn't need to deal with the heartache that I knew she felt before she had amnesia. I feel it, too, everyday. In a way, it's good that she has amnesia. This way, only I have to deal with the depression, the sorrow of being apart.

I sighed and sniffled as I begrudgingly got up from my bed. I had barely gotten any sleep last night. Annabeth was all I could think about. Was she okay? Would she remember anything? Doctor Torrez said she might regain her memories in time, but did I really want that? Did I really want her to deal with all the hurt she's been through in her life, not just the hurt caused by me?

Of course I wanted her to remember. It would suck to not know anything about yourself or your past or _anything!_ I couldn't imagine it.

I wanted so badly to go to her and make sure she was okay, but I knew I couldn't. As much as it pained me, I had to stay away. She wasn't my responsibility anymore. She wasn't my business. I yearned to see her again, but I couldn't. It was better this way.

The only thing I _could_ do was hope she got better soon. Maybe she would gain her memories back. Maybe she wouldn't. But maybe, somehow, she wouldn't remember that I used to be not only her friend, but her fiancé.

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**:O**

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**OMG OMG OMG!! ****WHAT?! **

**CLIFFHANGER! **

**Man, I love cliffhangers. They are awesome to write. However I feel sorry for the readers…**

**:P**

**Sorry for not updating in a while. I'm working on this other story that will come out in, meh, mid-March at the earliest. But that's another story. Literally. **

**Review please! Thanks for reading!**

**--Akatsuki Child**


	3. Discharged

**The Persistence of Memory**

**Chapter Two**

**Discharged**

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**(Annabeth's POV)**

Annabeth Chase…yes, that seemed right. The more that I think about it being my name, the more familiar it sounds. Of course, it'll still take a bit of time to get completely used to it again, but it was better than nothing.

I still didn't know much about my past, though. My doctor—whom I later found out was Doctor Torrez—said he would be able to give me a little bit of information, but he also told me I would have to try and get my memories back by myself.

I sat on my bed, wearing street clothes rather than the pale green gown I was wearing before. Doctor Torrez sat in front of me in a gray chair.

"As you know," He started. "Your mom died when you were little. Her name was Athena, like the goddess. Your dad, Fredrick Chase, and your two little brothers live in San Francisco. You're twenty-five years old, and your boyfr—"

He suddenly stopped and bit his lip, looking down at the tiled floor.

"...My what?" I asked.

"Never mind. It's nothing. I was thinking of something else. Anyways, why don't you come with me and we can get you out of this place, yeah?"

There was a nagging feeling in my stomach saying to demand to know what he was going to say, but I ignored it. It was probably just a side effect from the amnesia.

"Okay," I nodded. I followed him through the sterile-smelling hospital, past nurses clad in colorful clothes, doctors writing something on boards, people talking to doctors, and we even had to stop once for someone who was being rushed in a wheelchair. Apparently, the lady was going to have a baby.

Doctor Torrez led me to the main desk on my floor. I waited while he talked to the receptionist to get me discharged. I noticed there was a box beside her filled with some things. I saw a picture of me with someone else in it, and I asked, "Is that mine?" I pointed to the box.

The lady—her name tag said Jane—smiled. "Yes it is, Dear. You can take it home with you." She handed me the box, and I went and sat down in a chair to sort through it while Doctor Torrez finished some paperwork.

I pulled out some keys—probably to my car or my apartment or something. Then I found a wallet. It was a dark purple and it was very thin. I opened it and found a few credit cards and some cash. Then there was my cell-phone—to which there were thirty missed calls—, some makeup, and a pen. There was something else, but I didn't get a chance to see what it was because Doctor Torrez came.

"You need to sign some papers," He said, taking the box from me. I quickly signed the papers and then handed them back to Doctor Torrez, who gave me back the box. I looked to see where that paper was, but I couldn't find it. Maybe I had imagined it.

"Ready to go home?" He asked, smiling.

"I don't know where I live," I said.

"Carla here is going to take you home, if you don't mind, that is," He said, gesturing to an older woman with light brown hair and laugh wrinkles.

"Of course not," I replied, standing up. "Thank you, Doctor Torrez."

"Anytime," He smiled. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. I'd be happy to help you."

I nodded and smiled. I then followed Carla to her car. She drove me down unfamiliar roads, through strange streets until finally she stopped in front of a building. We exited the car and she led me into the building. We took the stairs to the third floor to apartment 3D.

"You'll want to use this key," She said, holding up the keys from my box. She stuck the key in the door and unlocked the door. She opened it for me and I stepped inside. I looked around and took it all in—the few paintings hanging up, the massive bookshelf, the prestige kitchen, and the comfortable-looking living room.

_I guess I could see myself living here…_I thought to myself, but I knew I was just lying to myself, hoping that I would somehow force the memories to come back. I really wanted to remember my life. It was strangely uncomforting knowing that my doctor knew more about me than I did.

"I have to go back to the hospital, but is there anything you need before I go?" Carla asked worriedly.

"No, thank you." I replied.

She smiled. "Okay then. You take care."

"Thank you."

She walked out the door, and then I was left to be submerged in silence and loneliness. I sighed and put my box on the counter. I was pretty tired. A quick nap wouldn't hurt. After I was rested, I would start my search to figure out who I was…to figure out whoI _am._

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**(Percy's POV)**

I sighed when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I looked at the caller ID and saw it was Doctor Torrez calling. I bit my lip. He was probably calling about Annabeth, and I really wasn't in the mood to hear about her right now. It was too depressing.

I decided to ignore the call and instead continued on my journey towards the café where I would meet my cousin Nico di Angelo. He was about four years younger than me, and he was one of my best friends. He had heard about Annabeth, and so apparently he wanted to talk to me.

I saw him before I entered the café. He was sitting by the window, and I saw the back of his head. I swear to God that kid's hair got blacker every time I saw him. With his dark attire, people usually considered him emo, but he wasn't. He was just more comfortable this way.

I entered the small, unusually quiet café and sat across from Nico.

"Hey," I greeted.

"Percy!" he replied enthusiastically. "Glad you made it! I didn't think I'd be able to peel you away from Annabeth."

I looked away from him and out the window. "I wasn't with her…" I mumbled.

I could see Nico's confused expression reflected in the glass. "But…I'm confused…wouldn't you want to spend every second with her even given her problem?"

I scowled. "You think this is just a _problem_? She didn't choose this, Nico! This is serious!"

"Whoa, calm down, Percy," he said, holding his hands up defensively. "You know what I meant."

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. "Yeah, I know. Sorry. I'm just tense."

"I can tell," he said, snorting softly.

"It's just…there's something you don't know."

Nico's brow furrowed. "And what's that?"

I swallowed. "You know I proposed to Annabeth about a month before her accident, right?"

"Of course. You wouldn't shut up about it."

"Right. Well, a few days before the accident, we, uh…broke up."

Nico's eyes widened. "_What?!_ Why?!"

"We were…having issues…" It was hard to confess what no one knew about. I had purposely not told the guys that we had broken up. I knew something like this would happen. They'd freak out and be all concerned for nothing.

"Wow…" Nico mumbled. "So let me get this straight: you guys were together, happy as ever, so you proposed to her, but then you broke up, and now she has amnesia, so…oh, man. I'm sorry."

I sighed. "Me too…me too. It's better this way, though."

"How the hell is it better?!"

I was surprised by the angry edge his voice now held. But then I became angry _because_ he was angry.

"She won't have to deal with all this," I said through clenched teeth. "She won't have to remember me or any of the things that happened between us."

"What do you mean?!" he asked incredulously. "You were probably the best thing that happened to her! You guys _never_ had problems! Why would you want her to forget about you completely?!"

"We weren't perfect," I said bitterly. "We had our fair share of problems. Trust me."

Nico narrowed his eyes at me. "I think there's something else you're not telling me."

I bit the inside of my cheek, refusing to answer that, refusing to say anything. It was true; there _was_ something I wasn't telling him—the reason why Annabeth and I broke up. I had made a huge, stupid, dumbass mistake, and I wasn't about to tell Nico that.

Instead, I said through still clenched teeth, "Whether or not something did happen, she doesn't need to be reminded of the pain I know she went through."

"Tell me what happened, Percy," Nico demanded.

I remained silent as my hands, clenched into fists, shook on my thighs.

"Tell me, dammit!"

I stood up roughly, shoving the chair back. It scratched against the wooden floors, and a few people looked up, surprised.

I glared down at my little cousin. "I don't have to tell you anything. I have to go."

I went and swiftly exited the café, but apparently Nico wouldn't let me go that easily.

"So what?" he called, standing outside the door. I stopped. "You're just going to wallow in self pity and misery while she suffers and tries to figure out who she was?"

Even though I had calmed down a bit, my hands still refused to relax. I turned my head to the side, looking at him over my shoulder. "Yeah, that was the plan."

I saw him shake his head. "I didn't think you were that big of a jerk. I didn't think you could sink that low."

I chuckled bitterly and started walking away. "Yeah, neither did I," I muttered to myself.

_If you knew what I did, Nico, you'd understand that drowning in misery and dealing with the hurt myself is the least I can do for Annabeth. _

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**Oh dear, what did Percy do?**

**I think this story is my darkest story. Granted, on the surface it's not very dark, but when it gets deeper into what happened between them, things start to get intense.**

**Anyways, I'll shut up. Thanks for reading and review please! Let me know what you think!**

**--Akatsuki Child**


	4. Think About Her

**The Persistence of Memory**

**Chapter Three**

**Think About Her**

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**(Annabeth's POV)**

My eyes blinked open slowly. I thought I was still in the hospital, but then I remembered that I had been discharged earlier.

I sat up and glanced around, stretching my body. My joints popped and I sighed. It was so quiet here; so dark and empty and lifeless. It was rather depressing. At least in the hospital, there were people always coming in to check on me and to talk to me, and even when they weren't there, the heart monitor kept the silence from seeping in too deep.

Now, I had to learn how to survive on my own. I had to learn how to entertain myself.

But, uh, maybe I should try to trigger some memories first. I could kill two birds with one stone by doing this—solve the riddle of my past and kill some time.

I searched around my apartment for a photo album. I figured I'd have a good chance of remembering something if I looked at some photos. But even then, Doctor Torrez said anything could trigger something, so this would be tricky.

I found only two photo albums, and the second one wasn't even completely filled yet. I opened the first one and started to look through the photos, hoping that something would happen.

It was strange, though. I would look through all these photos and see myself with all these strange people—strange to _me,_ but not to the old me. It's a little disconcerting to know that they remember me and know about me, but I have no clue.

Flipping through the photos was like looking at someone else's photos: you don't know anything about the picture, so it just becomes a routine of glancing at pictures and turning the page.

But then I came to one picture, and I stopped because it was a picture of me with a man I had never seen before. He had black hair and green eyes, and he was rather tall. He was standing next to me, his arm wrapped around my shoulder. We were both grinning like crazy.

There was a slight flutter in my stomach, but that was it. The picture was probably insignificant, but something told me that it was _very_ important.

I did have to admit it, though…that man looked very familiar…

I sighed. I was just being silly.

I turned the page and continued to search. I saw a picture of who I think is my dad, along with my brothers. I wonder what their names are. Doctor Torrez had only told me the name of my dad.

More importantly, though, why hadn't they come to see me? Surely they had found out about the accident by now. So why didn't they come? It made me a little sad.

But…maybe there was a reason they didn't come. Something big must have happened. Yeah, that must be it…

_But bigger than you getting amnesia? _A voice nagged in my head.

I frowned. Apparently.

I closed the photo album, deciding it was giving me a headache. I would take a break before starting my search again.

I got up from my spot in front of the book shelf where I had found the albums.

_Maybe I'll take a shower…_

I went to the bathroom and stared at the strange knobs.

"Dangit, how do I do this?" I mumbled to myself. I bit my lip as I went and pushed the silver knobs, but nothing happened. I huffed. Maybe if I turn them…

Suddenly, water gushed out fast and hard, slamming against the surface of the tub. I was suddenly hit with memories of taking showers.

"Oh…right…"

Even though I felt like an idiot, I was happy because I remembered how to take a shower.

I snorted. Man that would be embarrassing if I had to have someone else show me how. Good thing I remembered…

After my shower ( I was quite glad that I had gotten rid of the stench of the hospital), I changed into some fresh clothes and looked at myself in the mirror for the first time.

I gasped. I was definitely pretty, but that wasn't why I was astounded. I had seen pictures of myself before the accident, but I had yet to see what I looked like after the accident, and it wasn't too good.

There were two faded scars on my face. One ran from my right cheek down to my neck—that was the longer of the two, and it still had quite a ways to go before it was fully healed. The other was short and skinny, right above my left eyebrow. The good thing, though, was that you'd only see that one if you were focusing on it.

Other than that, I had a few stitches on my right arm.

It amazed me. How was it that I come out of the accident almost completely unscathed, but yet I have amnesia? How does that work? How is that even _fair?_

I blinked as angry tears came to my face. This was the first time that my amnesia really hit me. Why did I have to get in that accident? I'm not saying that I wished it had happened to someone else—I wish it wouldn't have happened at all—but why did I have to get amnesia? Wasn't getting in the accident in the first place good enough? I'd rather take cuts and bruises and broken bones that made me so horrendous to look at, than to have this condition.

I took one last bitter look in the mirror and then left the bathroom.

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**(Percy's POV)**

I sat at my table, staring at the diamond ring that Annabeth had been wearing a couple weeks ago. The ring was once a happy sign of our relationship, but now it was just an ugly reminder of the things I had done, the things that she had gone through because of me.

When I had went into the store, this was the first ring I saw, and I knew then and there that this was the one for Annabeth. When I had proposed and slipped it onto her finger, it had complimented her brilliantly. It was just a simple diamond with two smaller ones around it set on a silver band. Simple and elegant, like Annabeth.

But now, I hated the stupid thing. When we had broken up, she had thrown the thing at me and it had hit me smack on the forehead before falling into a puddle.

Looking back on it, I wish I had just left it in that puddle.

There was a knock on my door, and I sighed. I was doing that a lot. Everything seemed like a drag now.

I slipped the ring into my pocket and got up to answer the door. Standing before me was Doctor Torrez, an expression of angst, anger, and soberness on his face.

"Percy," he said, his voice low and emotionless.

"Doctor Torrez," I replied just as calmly.

"I think you should have this," He gave me something and I took it, looking at it.

I scowled. "Is this a joke?"

He glared at me. "No. It was in her box of belongings, and she almost saw it. I respected your wishes and took it before she could see it. I did you a favor."

I shoved the picture of me and Annabeth together in the pocket of his lab coat. "Well you can keep it. I don't want it."

I walked away from him to my living room. He followed, and I sighed.

"Look, I know this isn't any of my business, but I have to say something. This is ridiculous, Percy. Do you honestly think being away from her is the best thing _for her?_"

"Yes, I do, actually."

"Then you're stupid. Right now, she needs all the support she can get."

"Then tell her dad to fly out."

"You know he won't come out. He barely even knows his own daughter anymore. Ever since he got remarried, she refuses to speak to him, which is why _you_ need to be there."

"Why? So I can just lead her to heartache _again?_"

"No, so you can help your friend. Stop thinking about yourself for once and help her, dammit!"

"I'd rather not." I growled.

"You're being such a dumbass! The fact is you did have some problems with her, and nothing, not even amnesia, can erase that. You can't erase yourself from her memory. Blocking her out won't do anything. It'll only make it worse."

I remained silent. I didn't know what to say to that. This was the second time today I was getting yelled at, and it was pissing me off.

I stood up angrily. "That may be true, but I can prevent it from ever happening again."

Doctor Torrez shook his head. "You just don't get it, do you?"

"Oh, I get it. Trust me, I do."

"No, I don't think you do, Percy. I'm not asking you to lead her to her demise. I'm just asking you help her. Like I said, she needs all the help she can get."

"But if I help her, she'll remember!"

"Isn't that better than not remembering? If you were in her shoes, wouldn't you want to know everything even if it hurt?"

I sighed and didn't reply.

"Thought so," he mumbled. I watched as he reached into his pocket and pulled the picture out. He laid it on the coffee table. "Think about it, and if you decide you want to help her, let me know."

And then he left.

I groaned and plopped onto the couch. I stared at the ceiling, thinking about his words.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that either way, she was going to find out. So then what do I do? Continue to torture myself by staying away from her, or go and help her? When I thought about it that way, the answer was obvious. I knew that, right now, I was the closest thing to family that she had.

Maybe…maybe it wouldn't be so bad to help her.

I chuckled, sitting up. Even when she doesn't know I exist, she still finds a way to make me feel like a big jerk.

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**:D I like that last sentence. I thought it was a good ending. **

**So Percy's going to help her…hmm….I wonder what will happen? **

**Thanks for reading and review please!**

**--Akatsuki Child **


	5. Percy's Decision

**The Persistence of Memory**

**Chapter Four**

**Percy's Decision**

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**(Annabeth's POV)**

The next day, I woke up with a hungry stomach. I went to the fridge to find nothing that was overly appealing. In fact, I was craving for something bland: toast.

Making toast was, surprisingly, something I remembered how to do. I just put the bread slices in the slots, pushed the button down, and waited for them to pop.

I felt slightly smug as I did just that, waiting with a smirk on my face for the bread to come back toasted nicely.

A minute passed.

Two minutes.

Three.

I was starting to get worried now. It would get burned if I left it in there more. I pushed the lever back up so the toast would pop. But when I looked at them, they weren't even toasted. They looked like they did when I put them in there. Maybe it was just a fluke. Yeah, that's it.

I put them back in the slots and pressed the lever down again, but like before, nothing happened. I manually popped the toast again and stared, brow furrowed, at the untoasted bread.

I sighed and went to the counter. On a sticky note was the number for the nurse who drove me home. She wanted me to call if I had any problems. Did this classify as a problem? I could just eat something else…

But I really wanted that toast…

Oh, damnit all…

_Ring…ring…ring—_"Hello?" A voice answered

"Hi, is Carla in?" I asked.

"Yes, please hold."

I waited in silence. I almost hung up, knowing how stupid this coming conversation would sound, but before I could put the phone down, Carla picked up.

"Carla here," she said.

"Carla!" I replied, "It's Annabeth!"

"Oh, Annabeth, dear. How are you doing this morning?"

"Fine, fine."

"Nothing's wrong, is there?" she asked worriedly.

"No, no…I just…I was making toast earlier, but the toaster wouldn't work…what should I do?"

"Umm…well…did you plug it in first?"

_Plug it…in? _

I slapped my face and groaned to myself. Of course. I had forgotten to plug it in. "Right. I should probably try that…Thank you so much."

"No problem dear! Call again if you need something!"

"Alright. Bye."

"Bye, dear."

I hung up and sighed. Wow, was this amnesia bad or what?

After making my toast and watching a little TV, there was a knock on the door. I was shocked at first, but then I slowly got up and went to open the door.

Standing before me was a guy with black hair and he was wearing dark clothes. He looked worried, but then when he saw me, he looked determined.

"Annabeth?" he asked.

"Yeah…" I mumbled. "Who are you?"

"My name…is Nico di Angelo."

* * *

**(Percy's POV)**

"Wipe that stupid smirk off your face," I growled to Doctor Torrez. We were currently in his office, and I had just told him that I wanted to help Annabeth.

Okay, so maybe I was being selfish. Maybe I should've just stayed home and followed through with my previous plan, but I really wanted to see her. I had cracked, and God forbid if I ever said that out loud.

"What smirk?" Doctor Torrez laughed. "I'm just happy you're doing this." He suddenly became sober. "You know, by doing this, I think you're helping yourself too, not just her."

I pondered that. On the one hand, I agreed. Maybe by being around her, the hurt that I felt wouldn't be so evident. But then the other side of me argued that once she found out, she would hate me twice as much, and that this would be a waste of my time.

Well, then, I'll just have to learn to deal with it, because I've made my decision.

"So when can we see her?" I asked a tad eagerly.

"I'll call her right now."

While Doctor Torrez called her, I thought about how this would go. Would things be awkward? Would they be tense? Fine? Bad? _I _would be happy, but for her it might be a little awkward. But above all things, I knew for a fact there would be a thin layer of tension under everything else.

"Alright, then. We'll see you soon," Doctor Torrez finished, hanging up.

"She said yes?" I asked.

"Yup. We'll go over now, and depending on how things go, we'll probably leave in a couple hours."

I deflated a little at that. Only a couple hours? I wanted to stay with her forever. But, I would deal with it. I'd rather take a few hours then none at all.

"Then let's go."

--

We took a taxi to Annabeth's old apartment. Well, old to me. Before, when we were still dating each other, she had practically lived with me at my apartment and we rarely went to her apartment. It was kind of refreshing to be back here, but I also felt a pang of depression when I saw it.

"You okay, Percy?" Doctor Torrez asked worriedly. We had stepped out of the taxi and we now stood in front of the apartment complex.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I replied and followed him inside. As we took the three flights of stairs up to the apartment, I started getting this bad feeling in my stomach, like something bad was going to happen.

I didn't know the half of it.

We made it to the apartment, and my stomach felt totally sick. My heart was doing a relay race, thumping so loudly I couldn't even hear myself think. My legs and arms were shaking badly. I thought I was going to collapse.

Doctor Torrez knocked on the door. I heard some shuffling from inside before the door open. My eyes, which had been staring at the floor, looked up to see—

Nico?

I was confused. What the hell was he doing here?!

"Nico?" I asked, my voice low. "What…why are you here?"

He was brave as he held his chin up and said, "I thought she deserved to have some help knowing about her past."

My eyes narrowed and I glared fiercely at him. So _that's_ why he was here.

I then did something that felt oddly good. I punched him across his cheek. Hard.

He stumbled back into the room and fell on the floor. I stomped in and grabbed the collar of his jacket, lifting him off the ground. "So what? You thought you would be oh so smart and clever by coming here? After I _told_ you I didn't want her knowing?!" I asked in a harsh tone. "Huh? Was that it?!"

"Shut up!" he yelled. "She deserves to know!"

"You can't decide that!"

"And you can't either!"

I growled and pulled him to his feet, intending to throw him out. Ignoring the shocked Doctor Torrez, I dragged my pathetic cousin to the door, yanked it open, and was about to throw him out when a shriek stopped me.

"Stop it! Right now!"

I froze.

Silence filled the room.

I slowly looked back and glanced over my shoulder.

_Annabeth…_

* * *

**Nico's a rebel, Percy's violent, and Annabeth can't work a toaster. Oh dear….**

**A few announcements that are semi-important. One, due to the crap load of homework from school and my health issues (head cold, nothing serious like cancer), I'm short on time for writing, so updates may take a little longer. **

**Also, I told you guys about my story Artificial Engagement, yes? Well, I said it would be coming out in March, but again, due to school, it will be coming out later. I still have eighteen chapters to write, then I have to go back and revise and final edit and stuff, so I'm guestimating late April or early May AT THE EARLIEST!**

**Ummm…I think that's it…**

**Review please!**

**--Akatsuki Child**


	6. Hope

**The Persistence of Memory**

**Chapter Five**

**Hope**

* * *

**(Annabeth's POV)**

"Stop it! Right now!" I shrieked. I didn't know who this guy was, but he had no right to just storm in here and start punching Nico. Granted, I didn't exactly know who Nico was, but he seemed nice enough. This guy, though, this tall guy with dark hair like Nico's…he had no right whatsoever. Who was he? Why did he come here with Doctor Torrez?

The guy stopped immediately and turned around, and I was met with sea-green eyes. I blinked, surprised. It was the same man from the picture, only now he looked rough and haggard, like he hadn't slept in a while.

My stomach fluttered again like it had when I saw the photo. There was that pain again like I was going to remember something, but then the memory never came and I was just left with a huge headache.

I grimaced. Who _was_ this guy?

"Annabeth…" he whispered, dropping Nico, who groaned and stood up using the wall.

I glared at him. "Who the hell are you?"

He just stared at me with a look of sadness before saying, "Percy Jackson."

"He was one of your friends," Doctor Torrez stepped in, "The guy we were talking about earlier."

I wrinkled my nose in distaste. I think the Doc had his facts mixed up; there's no way I would be friends with someone like that.

"He's right," this Percy guy said.

I still refused to believe them, but I let it go. "Why were you punching Nico?"

Percy's face got dark. "He's my cousin."

"So you just decided to punch him?"

"Er, no…he, uh, owes me money, and I got mad because he hasn't paid me back yet…" he mumbled.

I blinked. "Right. Well, I don't appreciate people punching other people in my house."

"Sorry," Percy said, and I could tell he was fighting off a smile.

I narrowed my eyes and decided I was done with him. I turned to Nico. "Are you okay?" I asked.

He wiped some drool off of his chin. "Yeah, I'm okay. But I think I should go for now."

"Oh," I said, surprised, "Okay then. Bye…" I trailed off as he glared at Percy and left, shutting the door quietly.

An awkward silence followed as I glanced between Doctor Torrez and Percy. Doctor Torrez looked slightly guilty, and Percy just held a look of a cross between happiness and sadness.

I sighed. "Look, I know I just met you and stuff and you were supposed to come here, but I'm not feeling too well right now," I said.

Percy's brow furrowed. "Are you going to be alright?"

"Yeah. I'm just…tired."

"Oh, okay…I guess I'll go then…"

Now I just felt guilty. "Wait," I said, stopping him from opening the door. He looked back at me, surprised. "Why don't you come tomorrow so we can talk?"

Percy smiled a bit, and through all that rough and tough exterior, I saw hope spark in his eyes. "Alright. I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Just try to refrain from punching any more people."

He grinned. "I'll do my best."

And then he left. I felt a strange sense of emptiness and sadness when the door shut, but I ignored it and turned to Doctor Torrez, who held an expression of worry, his brow furrowed.

"Does your head hurt?" he asked.

I nodded. "Just a lot to take in. I'll be fine though. I just need some rest."

Doctor Torrez nodded. "If you still have a headache tomorrow, come see me. Just to make sure it's not a…_problem_ or anything."

I nodded. "Alright. Thanks for coming."

He smiled. "No problem. I'll see you later."

I watched as he walked out the door. I sighed and fell against my couch. My head did hurt, but really, I just needed to think about what had just happened.

Nico di Angelo…he had come to my apartment and claimed to be one of my friends. Then he had gotten punched by his cousin Percy Jackson.

Percy Jackson was the one who interested me the most. He was so familiar. I had seen him in a few pictures in the album, and in each picture we had been in, well, an intimate pose. It made me question what our relationship was before I had amnesia. There was something that Doctor Torrez wasn't telling me.

The way Percy had barged in and the hurt look on his face when he saw Nico…what had that all been about? What was going on with him? He was a strange character, that much was obvious. But there was something about him that I was attracted to. There was something…different about him.

_"So what? You thought you would be oh so smart and clever by coming here? After I __told__ you I didn't want her knowing?"_

This was what bothered me the most. Was he talking about me? What didn't he want me to know?

"Ugh!" I groaned. "This is so frustrating!"

I hated not knowing what was going on. I hated that I had gotten into that stupid accident. I hated that people could be lying to me and I wouldn't know it.

My head pounding, I abruptly stood up and went to my room to try and get some sleep.

* * *

**(Percy's POV)**

So that didn't exactly go as planned…it wasn't good how the events had turned out, but it wasn't bad either. So maybe punching Nico was a little too far…the creep had it coming to him. He _knew_ I didn't want Annabeth finding out yet. He knew how I felt about this.

I was a little upset that I couldn't stay and talk to her, but I didn't want to push her, especially if she wasn't feeling good. On the bright side, she invited me back, which gave me something to look forward to.

Seeing Annabeth again…it stirred something inside me. I wasn't sure what had happened, but when I had seen her and how helpless she looked, I wanted to help her and comfort her. I wanted to hold her and tell her that everything was fine. I wanted her to feel safe. All thoughts of keeping her safe from the hurt I caused her had flown out the window, but now that I was back at home, away from her helpless demeanor, I could think clearly again.

I had to keep my wits about me when I was around her. This wasn't the same Annabeth, as much as I hated it. She didn't know who she was, she didn't know anybody from her life...it pained me to think about that, but it was the truth.

But maybe…maybe I could find that old Annabeth. I wanted to help her remember her life. But I would try to keep my hurting her out. I wasn't going to deny that. Maybe somehow, though, I could start over. Maybe I could get her to see that I _did_ really care about her. I would show Annabeth that I wasn't a person who randomly punched people. I would show her who I really was, because all I wanted was to be honest with her.

As I entered my apartment, I felt a sliver of something I hadn't felt for a very long time.

Hope.

* * *

**Oh wow I haven't updated in a long time. I re-read this and had a strong urge to pick up this story, so expect more updates to come!**

**I liked this ending the best because it's actually a sliver of a happy ending.**

**So what do you think of Percy's plan?**

**Review please!**

**-Akatsuki Child**


	7. Just Good Friends

**The Persistence of Memory**

**Chapter Six**

**Just Good Friends**

* * *

**(Annabeth's POV)**

That night, I had barely gotten any sleep.

I tossed and turned most of the night, sometimes just lying there and staring at the ceiling. I was never truly comfortable. I would either be too hot or too cold, my arms sticking out of the blanket or my leg sticking out. I swear to God I had shifted around about twenty times. I would flip onto my belly, then I would roll onto my side, then I would shift so my legs were hanging off the edge. I just couldn't sleep.

Finally I sighed and just sat up and got out of bed. I shivered as my feet hit the cold wooden floors. I walked into the bathroom and turned the light on. I was temporarily blinded by the bright light, but then my eyes adjusted and I found myself staring back at me through the mirror.

Those stupid scars still stood out like a sore thumb. I scowled and stared at my gray eyes. They were awfully startling, yet they held a dull undertone.

Suddenly, a searing pain ripped through my head. I gasped and clutched the sink counter top.

A memory.

"_What are you doing up, Annabeth?" It was my mom. Before she died._

"_I can't sleep," I had replied, rubbing my eyes. I was small, only a child. _

"_Well why don't I tell you a bedtime story."_

_I nodded and held my arms out. She picked me up and took me to my room where she then proceeded to tell me a story. _

I swallowed hard as I was pulled out of that fragment of a memory. I knew why that memory was significant. She had told me how she met my dad. I had stayed up for the whole thing, and immediately afterwards I had fallen asleep.

I sighed and went back to my bedroom. I found it unfair. I had barely known my mom before she had been taken away from me. Then I got amnesia, which didn't help me in the least bit. I wished I had known her…

I sighed again. Oh well. There was no point in whining. You can't undo the past.

Maybe if I asked my dad, he would tell me about her…

The only problem was I didn't know who he was. Doctor Torrez had told me his name and where he lived, but I didn't remember anything about him. I didn't know what he was like. And my brothers. I didn't even know their names. It was a little pathetic and slightly depressing.

But why hadn't they come out to see me? Surely they had found out about my accident by now.

This thought just made me more frustrated and worried. I sighed. I needed to think of something that calmed me.

Oddly enough, my thoughts went to Percy. Just Percy and how he looked familiar with his green eyes. I didn't think about how he seemed to have anger management issues. I didn't think about how he was tied to me. I just thought about those eyes, and I instantly fell asleep.

I woke up to the sound of someone knocking on my door. I woke up abruptly, confused for a second. There was knocking again, and I looked up to see the clock on my nightstand read twelve fifteen.

I blinked. Had I seriously slept in that late?

Suddenly I sprang to my feet and ran to the door, tripping and almost falling on a shoe I had left in the middle of the walkway. I wrenched the door open and came face to face with…flowers?

"Uh…" I stuttered.

"Hey, Annabeth," I heard a voice. I looked and saw Percy Jackson smiling at me.

"Oh, Percy…" I blinked. "What are the flowers for?"

He blushed slightly. "Um, they're for you. My way of saying sorry."

"For?"

"Yesterday when I punched Nico and made you upset. I was out of line."

I couldn't help but smile. "Thanks." I took them from him and smelled them. They smelled amazing.

"I know they're your favorites," he mumbled, staring at me with an intense gaze. I felt myself being pulled towards him, but then I blinked and bit my lip.

"Do you want to come in?"

"Sure."

I opened the door wider and he stepped through. I closed the door behind him and set the flowers down on the table.

"Did you just get up?" he asked, staring pointedly at my attire.

I blushed and stared down at my flannel pajama pants. "Yeah."

An awkward silence fell over us. I hadn't even known Percy for a full day. I had no idea what to say to him. As cowardly as it sounded, I was waiting for _him_ to make a move.

* * *

**(Percy's POV)**

I was just happy to be here with Annabeth. I didn't care that her hair was a complete mess and she was still in her PJs. She was beautiful no matter what. I was aware of the silence, but I was too immersed in studying her face to do anything about it.

For the first time since seeing her again, I noticed the scars on her face. Two of them. It broke my heart to see them, an ugly reminder of her accident. They actually weren't that bad, but I couldn't help but wince a bit. Besides the scars, her eyes were still that startling gray that I've come to love.

Standing there, looking at her and how helpless and lost she looked, I wanted nothing more than to sweep her up into a hug and reassure her that everything was alright. But that would be lying, because even I didn't know if things were going to be alright.

"I'm going to go…change…" I heard her mumble. I watched as she pattered out of the room, the awkward silence lifted from my shoulders. I sighed and sat down on the couch as I waited for her.

I wasn't sure what was going to happen today. I didn't know what we would do or what she would ask me, but I did know that I would be as honest as I could without revealing too much about our past. It would be a tricky task, but I believed I could pull through with it. I just figured it would be better if Annabeth didn't know about what happened between us.

A few minutes later, she came back dressed and ready. I smiled at her and she smiled back.

"So…" I started. "You wanted to talk, right?"

"Yeah, if that's fine…?"

"Of course." I plopped down on the couch and she sat down in the chair across from me.

Annabeth smiled. "You have no idea how thankful I am that you're willing to help me."

I grinned, but then it slowly fell as I remembered she wouldn't get to know everything.

Swallowing hard, I replied, "What do you want to know?"

She got this cute thinking expression on her face, the one that said she was thinking hard. Her brow was scrunched, her eyes were unseeing, and she bit her lip. I was pretty familiar with the expression and I couldn't help but smile a bit.

Suddenly, it all smoothed out and she looked up at me.

"Doctor Torrez said we were friends, but…was that it? We were just friends, right?"

And of course, she picked that question first.

"Y-yeah," I answered with some difficulty, finding it hard to look her in the eyes. "We're just good friends."

She nodded, but I could see there was confusion in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

She opened her mouth to say something, but then she shook her head. "Nothing." She smiled. "I'm fine."

But there was still that confusion and doubt in her eyes. I knew then that this was going to be much harder than I thought.

* * *

**And so the plot thickens...not really. It thickens next chapter where things start getting juicy. **

**Hope you liked it :D Review please!**

**-Akatsuki Child**


	8. Lies

**The Persistence of Memory**

**Chapter Seven**

**Lies**

**(Annabeth's POV)**

"So this was when we went to California to see your dad and brothers."

I laughed when I saw the picture of a nervous Percy staring at who I presumed were my two brothers, who looked like they were doing some sort of scheming. I was standing beside Percy, and next to me was my dad. Both of us were smiling lightly.

And of course, my mother was nowhere in sight.

I sighed to myself and flipped the page of the photo album. Even though I barely remember her, I remember that we were close. It's like I have this lingering feeling of her in my head, and it hurts to know that I'll never be able to reestablish that connection with her.

I tried to force it out of my mind as Percy continued to explain the pictures in my photo albums. It was hard to concentrate though. While I wanted to know more about my past, there were some things that were really bothering me.

Like the other day when Percy had come over and punched Nico.

_"So what? You thought you would be oh so smart and clever by coming here? After I told you I didn't want her knowing?"_

What had he meant by that? What was Percy keeping from me? Why didn't he want me to know? I needed to know, but…I couldn't. I couldn't ask him. Fear was holding me back. It was like instincts. I had this feeling that if I asked him, I wouldn't like what I would hear.

Also, when I had asked him what we were before my accident, he had hesitated. That was my first clue that he was lying. The second was the look on his face—it was sad and pained. But then, the question was, _why_ did he lie? I had seen a picture of us with our arms around each other. We had obviously been dating. So why had he said we were just friends? I mean, if we had been in love, wouldn't he want me to know so he could help me get my memories back so we could be together again? Unless, of course, we had broken up and now he was trying to build things back again, but I had a feeling that wasn't quite it. I don't know what happened between us, but what I do know is Percy lied to me.

Finally, another major thing that was bothering me was my dad. I still had no idea why he hadn't come to see me. It worried me and saddened me. I was his daughter. Didn't he care at all about my well-being? Or had Mom's death changed him?

Suddenly, I felt a searing pain grow in the back of my head. Then, instead of seeing Percy with the photo album, I was seeing something completely different. Something I wished I hadn't.

"_We're…we're getting married."_

_I let that sink in. He was…getting married again. _

_Anguish filled me. And anger. _

"_How could you?" I glared at him. "How could you do that to Mom?"_

_I was screaming now. Tears blurred my vision. _

"_Honey, please calm down—"_

"_No! I hate this! I hate you! I hate you! I never want to see you again!"_

I sucked in a deep breath as the memory ended.

My dad…that's why…oh God.

I bit my lip as tears came to my eyes and spilled slowly down my cheeks.

"Annabeth!" Percy yelped. "What's wrong?"

He had gotten remarried. I had said I hated him. I had said I never wanted to see him again. He was just respecting my wishes.

"Annabeth, _what's wrong?"_

I looked up at Percy, finally pulled out of my thoughts. He had wide, worried eyes and he looked nervous.

"My dad…I remember…we had a fight. I told him I hated him." My voice cracked on the word 'hated.' I could never hate him. I had just been so angry with him that day when he told me he was remarrying. I couldn't understand why he was doing this. I guess I felt that he was betraying Mom and me.

Percy sighed—in relief?—but then his brow furrowed. "Wait, you remember things?"

I nodded. "I get memories sometimes."

There was a flash of fear on his face but then it was gone, so fast I thought I had imagined it. But the panic remained in his eyes, and I knew I hadn't imagined it. But what was he afraid of? Why was he panicking? It was…peculiar.

I wiped away my tears with shaky hands. "I'm sorry. I was just thinking of why he hadn't come and…it just came so suddenly…"

He shook his head. "Don't apologize. You did nothing wrong."

I swallowed hard and smiled at him gratefully. "Um…I'll be right back."

I got up and made my way to the bathroom on wobbly legs. Once the door was shut and locked, I slipped to the floor as more tears came to my eyes and quiet sobs wracked my body.

I had ruined it, my relationship with my dad. It was forever lost because of my rash actions, my selfishness. And the chances of getting it back were close to impossible.

It's all my fault.

And there's nothing I can do about it.

* * *

**(Percy's POV)**

This was bad…and good. I was glad she was getting her memories back, but…I was afraid that if she remembered everything, she would hate me again, and everything would go back to the way it was, if not, worse.

I _wanted_ her to remember because I cared about her too much to see her in pain and struggling like this. But that selfish part of me nagged that if being able to talk to her again meant she had amnesia…well, so be it.

She had gone into the bathroom ten minutes ago. I know she's crying in there. She said she had remembered her fight with her dad. I remember that day clearly, too. We had been in California because her dad had wanted to tell her the news in person. I had been at their house while Annabeth and Fredrick had gone to his fiancée's home so he could tell her about their engagement. An hour later, Annabeth had stomped through the doors, crying and throwing things around. I let her be until she had collapsed in my arms, sobbing her heart out.

That had been a hard day for her. And reliving their fight must be like hell for Annabeth right now. I just hoped she was going to be okay.

As I waited for Annabeth to come out of the bathroom, I started flipping through the photo album again. I froze when I came to a page with a few pictures of Annabeth and I together, wrapped around each other. A pang of terror ran through me. I quickly plucked the pictures out and looked through the rest of the pictures, taking out ones that would indicate we were anything more than "good friends." When I had them all, I tucked them inside my jacket and moved the pictures in the album so there weren't any spaces. Right when I finished, Annabeth stepped out, her eyes red and tear streaks stained on her cheeks.

I smiled reassuringly at her. "You okay?"

She gave me a small smile. "I'll be alright."

A silence fell over us. She sat down in her chair again and riffled through the album again. I watched her face intently, looking for any signs of recognition. When she got to the end, her brow furrowed.

"I thought there were more pictures in here…" she mumbled.

The pictures in my coat burned through my shirt to my skin, making me feel uncomfortable and like a criminal.

"Um…yeah…" I scurried in my mind for an excuse. "Well, you see, some of them got lost when you moved here from California…"

It was a lame lie. But, she seemed to accept it for she nodded and closed the album.

I swallowed that feeling of guilt that came after lying to her and instead watched as she sighed and stood up.

"I'm worn out…thanks for everything Percy. I really appreciate it." She smiled brilliantly at me.

Gratefully taking my queue to leave, I stood up and smiled down at her. "No problem."

As she led me to the door, she said, "You can come over again if you want to. Or we could go somewhere to chat."

I smiled. "Yeah. I'll call you tomorrow."

She gave me one last smile before closing the door. I sighed to myself and walked down the steps of the complex and out the door.

The pictures still burning in my pocket, I walked down the street to the hospital. I needed some answers.

"So she'll eventually remember everything?"

Doctor Torrez nodded his head cautiously. He then sighed. "I was afraid to tell you before because I knew that if I did, you wouldn't have wanted to help her."

I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"I mean, in my doctor's opinion, she took such a hard hit, it would take a few months, if not a few years, for her to regain her memory completely."

I bit the inside of my cheek. I knew she would get her memory back soon. She was a smart girl. And if she keeps having these memories…

Was it worth it? Was it worth lying to her so she wouldn't find out? Because, according to Torrez, she was going to find out either way.

But if I held it off for a while, then maybe…just maybe…I could get a feel of what we used to be before my dumbass mistake.

However, the more I lie to her now, the more it's going to hurt in the end when she remembers and realizes I had been lying to her this whole time.

So then why was I still choosing to go through with this?

* * *

**I'm so sorry for not updating sooner. I'm trying to juggle three stories at once and it's very challenging. Hopefully I'll have more time to write now :D**

**This was probably the shortest chapter, but it was probably one of my favorites. **

**Please review and tell me what you think! :D**

**-Akatsuki Child**


	9. Cooking Disaster

**The Persistence of Memory**

**Chapter Eight**

**Cooking Disaster**

**(Annabeth's POV)**

I sighed from my spot on my bedroom floor. The floors were wooden with a flimsy rug over it in an attempt to soften it. I was leaning against my bed, my hair in a messy bun and still in my PJs. It had been three days since Percy last came and five days since leaving the hospital. Five days since I lost my memory.

I rested my head in my hands, my elbows resting on my bent knees. Around me were papers and photo albums. All of them held a part of my history. Everything told me a little about myself, who I am. But none of it made any sense to me. All I would see was information, or a picture. I didn't know who that person was or why a piece of information was significant. It was like I was reading a biography of someone: I was just going through the motions, reading but not fully processing.

Looking through all this stuff was something I knew I should be doing, but it just felt pointless. I didn't remember any of this. I couldn't place faces or names.

I needed Percy here. He would be able to explain everything to me since he seemed to know so much about me, being my best friend and all. There was one problem with that though.

He hadn't called.

He said he was going to during his last visit, but he never did. That was partly why I was in such a sluggish mood. I knew he had a life, and he was probably busy, but it would've been nice if he was here with me, helping me. At the same time, I didn't want him to feel obligated to take care of me. I didn't want that.

This amnesia was making me feel helpless every minute. A part of me wanted to just stop and let it be. A part of me wanted to just continue with life and start over. It was so tempting.

I got up, deciding to temporarily ditch my studying. I stretched my arms, my joints popping loudly. I yawned and slugged into the living room. I walked to the window and hoisted it up, allowing the sun and a slight breeze to flow through the apartment. I took in a deep breath and sighed in content. I leaned against the window pane and looked down at the bustling street. Near the apartment was a small farmer's market, and every day I could look outside and see it filled with people strolling around.

I smiled a little as I watched little kids run around and couples walking down the street. Business men and women entered taxis with their briefcases before zooming away to their destination.

I felt restless. I had been cooped up in here since my accident, trying to figure out who I was. I was beginning to get antsy. I needed to get outside.

Suddenly, an idea popped into my head. I could learn to cook! I would go get a cookbook from a nearby bookstore, get some ingredients from the market, and learn to cook a proper meal (I was getting sick of toast and cereal).

Giddy with my new plans, I hurried into the bathroom, cranked the water up for a shower, and began getting ready.

About an hour later, I was done. Dressed in a simple jeans-and-t-shirt ensemble, I made sure to lock up my apartment before heading down the sidewalk. I gratefully breathed in the fresh air as the sun showered down on my face, warming my body. It felt so refreshing to get some fresh hair, especially after being in the hospital, which had smelled that gut-wrenching sterile.

I walked down the street to a nearby bookstore, my wallet in my pocket with some cash and a credit card or two. When I entered the small shop, it was easy to find the cookbooks. I sifted through the selection, not really sure what I was looking for, or what I _should_ be looking for. Instead of wasting my time, I randomly selected one, went to the front of the store, and paid. Once back outside, I headed back down the street to the farmer's market across from my apartment.

When I entered the area, I was immediately assaulted with the smells o fresh produce and meats, fishes and herbs. It was a bustle of couples, chefs, and families, all looking for different things, bargaining with the sellers, asking for certain items, etc. I smiled a bit, grabbed a basket, and started sifting through ingredients.

I wasn't exactly sure what I would need, so I just sort of walked around and if I saw something good, I grabbed a few of them. Amnesia or not, I'm pretty sure that half of this stuff I had never seen before. I had never smelled so many different aromas, especially when I walked by the spices and herbs section.

After getting my food, I hurried back to my apartment. I kicked off my shoes and placed everything on the counter. I pulled out the book and opened to a random page.

_Lemon Chicken and Rice_

_Serves: 2_

_Prep: 25 min End: 25 min_

I cocked my head to the side. Well it _looked_ delicious, and it wouldn't take that long to cook. I looked at the clock and saw that it was two already. I shrugged. Why not?

* * *

**Percy's POV**

I felt like a jerk. A big, fat, lying jerk.

When I left Annabeth's apartment, I had told her that I would call. That was three days ago, and I hadn't called. I felt like such a coward, but after lying straight through my teeth to her face, I felt so low. I felt even dirtier when I knew that I was still going to stay with my plan. Because, no matter how stupid this was, I was keeping her from a world of pain. In the end, it would work out in her favor. It had to.

I sighed and ran a hand through my messy hair. I knew I needed to go see her. Besides feeling like a complete asshole, the other reason I hadn't called was because I knew she would need a few days to collect her thoughts after our revealing day. I knew that this was hard on her, but I would never fully understand how much this was impacting her. However, I figured that a few days of stepping away from this would help her immensely.

But I couldn't run anymore. I had to go see her, today, and it was already getting late in the afternoon. I looked at the clock and saw that it was two thirty. Biting my lip, I got up and slipped into my shoes, quickly hurrying out of the door before I could change my mind.

When I arrived at her apartment, I knocked on the door, but no one answered. I could hear her in there, so then why wasn't she answering? Brow furrowed, I raised my hand to knock again, but suddenly the door was wrenched open, revealing Annabeth's face.

My heart stuttered on reflex and I took a step back from her. She looked flustered and hectic, but when she saw me her eyes widened and she blinked. "Percy?"

My stomach dropped. "Uh, hey," I replied. "Whatcha doing?"

"Oh, you know…nothing…" She looked back behind her worriedly, looking off at something with concern.

I sniffed the air. "Hey, is something burning?"

She gave a nervous laugh and a nonchalant wave of her hand. My suspicions only grew. I narrowed my eyes. I opened my mouth to ask what was really going on, but she suddenly yelped and rushed away from the door, leaving it wide open. Quickly, I stepped inside and hurried to the kitchen.

I stopped by the counter, staring at the war path before me.

Annabeth was hurrying around, turning knobs on the stove and moving pans as a fire was going off in a pan of what I presumed held some sort of food. She took a towel and started batting at the fire. When the mayhem had resided, she stopped, breathing slightly hard and staring at the burnt mess.

And right there, I started laughing. I couldn't help it. The situation was just hilarious, and all my nerves had made me giddy.

"_Don't_ laugh at me," she warned in that voice I had heard oh so many times.

"Annabeth," I rasped. "What are you _doing?"_

She blew a piece of hair away from her eyes, planting her hands on her hips. "What does it look like? I'm cooking."

I walked up to her and stared at the burnt…blob on the counter. I raised a brow at her red, angry face. "Cooking? Annabeth, you can't cook."

"And why not?"

"You just can't. You couldn't cook a meal to save your life. The only cooking unit you ever used was a microwave, and even then I think you almost blew up Nico's house once."

She huffed and turned away from me. I looked over her shoulder as we stared down at the mass of burnt food, a flame attempting to get back to life.

I heard her sigh and I smiled. "So…wanna go have lunch with me?"

She turned and stared up at me with her big, gray eyes. They weren't angry anymore; just disappointed and…humorous?

She cracked a wry smile. "Yeah. I'd love to."

I smiled back, feeling my heart speed up. I watched as she tuck a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. Then she turned and faced the mess, mentioning about cleaning it up. However, I barely heard her. My head was swimming with thoughts now and how I would get to spend more quality time with her at lunch.

It was almost like a date…

* * *

**So this is just part one of the day. Next part will be out...sometime. **

**If you aren't following my blog (or if you didn't even know about it), there is a link on my page to it. It's just basically a way for me to let you readers know what's going on with my stories and stuff. **

**Thanks for reading and review please!**

**-Akatsuki Child**


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